Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Urban Transport Project Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

We are seeking an experienced Urban Transport Project Specialist to lead planning, design, implementation and monitoring of sustainable urban mobility projects. The ideal candidate combines transport planning and traffic engineering expertise with strong project management, stakeholder engagement and donor-funded project experience (World Bank, ADB, EU or similar). This role will drive transit-oriented development, bus rapid transit (BRT), non-motorized transport (NMT), Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and multi-modal integration while ensuring compliance with environmental and social safeguards.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Transport Planner / Mobility Planner with 2–5 years of project experience
Civil Engineer or Traffic Engineer working on urban infrastructure projects
Project Officer / Project Coordinator with exposure to transport or donor-funded programs

Advancement To:

Senior Urban Transport Specialist / Lead Transport Planner
Urban Mobility Project Manager or Program Manager
Director of Urban Infrastructure / Head of Transport & Mobility

Lateral Moves:

Urban Planner or Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Specialist
Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Specialist for infrastructure projects
Procurement & Contract Management Specialist in infrastructure

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead end-to-end project management for urban transport initiatives, including scoping, planning, budgeting, procurement oversight, contract administration and close-out of donor-funded and municipal projects.
Prepare, review and finalize Terms of Reference (ToR), technical specifications and procurement documents for consultants, civil works and ITS vendors to ensure compliance with funding agency rules and best practice.
Develop and manage detailed project implementation plans (PIPs), work breakdown structures, and Gantt schedules; proactively track milestones and deliverables, and escalate risks with mitigation actions.
Oversee design reviews and technical quality assurance for transport infrastructure (BRT corridors, bus depots, dedicated lanes, cycle tracks, sidewalks, intersection upgrades) to ensure constructability, safety and accessibility standards.
Lead transport planning studies (travel demand forecasting, public transport network design, route optimization, fleet sizing) and translate modelling outputs into actionable infrastructure and service recommendations.
Manage traffic and transport modelling tasks using tools such as VISSIM, VISUM, EMME or SATURN to assess scheme performance, capacity, intersection operations and business case viability.
Coordinate environmental and social safeguard compliance, prepare or review Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP), Resettlement Action Plans (RAP) and ensure implementation during construction.
Supervise construction supervision teams and resident engineers; enforce quality control, health & safety practices, and timely resolution of technical issues on site during procurement and execution phases.
Lead stakeholder engagement and consultation processes with municipal authorities, transport operators, law enforcement, utilities, community groups, women's groups and vulnerable populations to secure buy-in and address concerns.
Prepare and submit timely, high-quality progress reports, financial statements and performance reports to donors, municipal management and steering committees, including quantitative KPI tracking and milestone narratives.
Conduct feasibility studies, economic and financial analyses (cost-benefit, NPV, IRR) to support investment decisions, prioritize corridor selection and assess sustainable revenue/operation models.
Design sustainable public transport solutions integrating BRT, feeder services, paratransit reform and non-motorized transport to improve last-mile connectivity and reduce private vehicle dependence.
Support institutional strengthening activities: design training curricula, conduct capacity building workshops for municipal transport departments, operators and traffic management agencies.
Coordinate land acquisition, wayleave and utility relocation planning with land agencies and utility companies to minimize project delays and manage compensations in compliance with RAPs.
Lead technical evaluation of bids, contractor performance assessments and change order negotiations; manage claims, variations and ensure contract compliance with FIDIC or donor-specific conditions.
Integrate Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), traffic signal optimization, real-time passenger information and fare collection systems into urban mobility schemes, and oversee vendor integration and testing.
Design and implement Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) frameworks with indicators for ridership, modal shift, travel time savings, road safety outcomes and gender/disability inclusion; ensure rigorous data collection and reporting.
Lead coordination with financial institutions, development partners and co-financiers to align project objectives, harmonize safeguard standards and mobilize additional resources or technical assistance.
Conduct transport policy and regulatory assessments, draft policy notes and recommend reforms (e.g., public transport contracting, route licensing, fare policy) to improve system performance and financial sustainability.
Promote road safety and sustainable mobility principles by incorporating Safe System, Vision Zero and Complete Streets approaches into project designs and operational plans.
Manage budgets and financial controls for project components, ensure efficient utilization of funds, support audit processes and implement corrective actions for compliance issues.
Drive gender-responsive and socially inclusive transport planning by mainstreaming gender analysis, disability access audits and targeted interventions for women, the elderly and low-income groups.

Secondary Functions

Provide technical input to municipal land-use planning and TOD strategies to maximize public transport ridership and support compact, mixed-use developments.
Support pilot programs such as micro-mobility integration, on-demand paratransit digital platforms and last-mile logistics trials to test innovative mobility solutions.
Facilitate data-driven decision making by overseeing collection of travel surveys, automated passenger counts, GPS/AVL datasets and integrating datasets into GIS and transport models.
Advise on emission reduction measures, support development of low-emission zones, electrification of bus fleets and prepare greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories for transport interventions.
Coordinate knowledge management: prepare technical notes, lessons-learned briefs, case studies and contribute to project communications and media outputs.
Mentor junior transport staff and oversee performance appraisals, professional development plans and recruitment for project technical teams.
Assist municipal partners with operational readiness activities, including farebox revenue handling, driver training, maintenance planning and procurement of spare parts.
Support ad-hoc technical assistance requests from cities for quick assessments, transport audits and emergency traffic management during construction periods.
Liaise with academic institutions, think-tanks and consultants to source best practice guidance, local research and modeling support for complex transport problems.
Contribute to strategic project design, bankable solutions and prepare inputs for funding proposals, including logical frameworks and results frameworks.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Transport Planning & Policy: Advanced knowledge of integrated urban transport planning, public transport network design, BRT systems, non-motorized transport and transit-oriented development.
Traffic Engineering & Modelling: Proficiency with traffic modelling and micro-/macro-simulation tools (VISSIM, VISUM, EMME, Aimsun, SIDRA) and the ability to interpret model outputs to inform design.
GIS & Data Analysis: Strong skills in GIS software (ArcGIS, QGIS), spatial analysis, and handling transport datasets (AVL/GPS, smartcard, APC).
Project Management: Demonstrated experience in managing complex projects including project scheduling (MS Project), budgeting, risk management and milestone reporting.
Procurement & Contract Management: Knowledge of procurement rules for donor-funded projects (World Bank, ADB, EU); experience with RFPs, bid evaluation, FIDIC contracts and contract variations.
Environmental & Social Safeguards: Ability to manage EIA/ESMP and RAP processes, social impact assessments and ensure compliance with donor safeguard frameworks.
Financial & Economic Appraisal: Capability to prepare cost-benefit analysis, financial models, and assess O&M sustainability for transport services.
ITS & Fare Systems: Familiarity with ITS components (AVL, CCTV, transit signal priority), electronic fare collection and integration of back-office systems.
Construction Supervision: Experience supervising civil works, quality assurance, H&S management and interfacing with resident engineers and contractors.
Monitoring & Evaluation: Design M&E frameworks with measurable KPIs, experience in data collection protocols and results reporting to donors.

Soft Skills

Stakeholder Engagement: Excellent interpersonal abilities to build consensus across municipalities, operators, communities and donors.
Communication & Reporting: Strong technical writing skills to prepare concise reports, donor submissions, briefs and present complex information clearly to non-technical audiences.
Leadership & Team Management: Able to lead multi-disciplinary teams, mentor junior staff and manage external consultants to deliver high-quality outputs.
Negotiation & Conflict Resolution: Skilled in negotiating contract terms, resolving land, utility and community disputes and mediating between competing interests.
Analytical Thinking: Problem-solver who converts data into actionable recommendations and anticipates implementation challenges.
Cultural Sensitivity & Inclusion: Demonstrated commitment to gender-responsive and socially inclusive project design and engagement.
Time Management & Prioritization: Proven ability to balance multiple workstreams, tight deadlines and shifting priorities in project environments.
Adaptability: Comfortable working in dynamic urban contexts, with experience in fast-paced and politically complex municipal settings.
Presentation & Facilitation: Comfortable leading workshops, public consultations and capacity-building sessions for diverse audiences.
Attention to Detail: Meticulous in technical specifications, contract documentation and compliance reporting to minimize procurement and implementation risks.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Transport Engineering, Urban Planning, Public Policy, or a related discipline.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Transport Planning, Transport Engineering, Urban Planning, Sustainable Mobility, or Infrastructure Management.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Transport Planning / Transport Engineering
Urban Planning / Urban Design
Civil Engineering
Public Policy / Infrastructure Finance
Environmental and Social Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–12 years of progressively responsible experience in urban transport projects, including design, implementation and supervision.

Preferred:

Minimum 7 years for specialist roles; 10+ years for senior roles leading multi-million-dollar projects.
Proven track record with donor-funded projects (World Bank, ADB, EU, JICA) and familiarity with their procurement and safeguard procedures.
Demonstrated experience delivering BRT, corridor upgrades, ITS deployments, NMT programs or similar urban mobility projects.
Experience supervising contractors and consultants, managing budgets, and preparing donor reports and financial reconciliations.
Regional experience in the target country/region and fluency in English; proficiency in local languages is an advantage.